Motorized multiple drums for mining machine



K. W. STALKER MOTORIZED MULTIPLE DRUMS FOR MINING MACHINE Filed Dec. 20, 1963 Dec. 6, 1966 Wm QM mm. mm NV INVENTOR. Kenneth W. Stalker ATTORNEY United States Patent O p 3,290,096 MOTORIZED MULTIPLE DRUMS FOR MINING MACHINE Kenneth W. Stalker, Western Springs, 11]., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 20, 1963, Ser. No. 332,129 Claims. (Cl. 299-78) The present invention relates generally to motorized drums and more particularly to a rotary drum in which the prime mover and reduction gearing are contained within the confines of the drum.

In underground mining where available space is limited, it is extremely important that machinery be as compact as possible. This is particularly true where the machinery is directly involved in the material removing operation and must, in effect, cut a hole larger than itself. It is desirable that the component parts of such machinery be arranged to fit within the pattern cut by the mining head in order to provide as much clearance as possible with the least amount of maneuvering.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rotary drum mining head which encloses its associated motor and reduction gearing within itself. A further object is to provide a multiple drum type mining head which projects beyond its supporting frame. Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description together with the drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a section view of a rotary drum type mining head showing the internal driving parts thereof;

FIG. 2 is a section view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 3 is a section view taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the number indicates a mining head mounted for rotation on frame members 11, 12 which may be movable with respect to the ground on a mobile machine body not shown in the drawings. Mobile mining machines are well known in the art and it is believed unnecessary to include a detailed description of the body portion of such machines.

Mining head 10 is made up of an intermediate drum 13 and a pair of end drums 14 and 16. Each drum is formed of a cylindrical shell to provide a hollow cavity. Cutter bits 17 are mounted in bit holders 18 on the outer surface of drums 13, 14 and 16.

End drum 14 is closed by end cap 19 which is secured to the shell by cap screws 21. Bearings 22 and 23 are seated respectively in end cap 19 and in an inwardly extending portion 24 of the shell. Bearings 22 and 23 are mounted on an axially extending tube 26 which is secured to frame member 11 by key 28 and by nut 27 through bearings 23 and 29. Extension memebr 31 is connected to end cap 19 and forms a driving connection for end drum 14. A passageway formed in frame member 11 and tube 26 provides a channel for electrical conductors 32 and 33 which connect to brushes 34 and 36 mounted in brush holder 37 on tube 26. A pair of slip rings 38 and 39, mounted on plate 41, are in wiping contact with brushes 34 and 36 to provide a means for transferring current between the frame and rotatable drum 13. Plate 41 is connected to rotate with the shell of drum 13 and together with extension member 31 forms a direct driving link between drum 13 and end drum 14. End plate 42 is connected in supporting relation to the shell or drum 13. Bearing 29 supports end plate 42, on tube portion 26 of frame member 11. Plate 41 has a central cavity which forms a bearing seat 43 for bearing 44. The shaft 46 of armature 47 is supported in bearing 44. Plate 41 and bearing 44 cooperate with the shell of drum 13 and the shaft 46 of armature 47 to support armature 47 concentrically within the drum for rotation about an axis coinciding with the cylindrical axis of drum 13. The opposite end of armature 47 is supported in bearing 48 which is seated in plate 49 to locate and support armature 47 with respect to the shell of drum 13. A commutator 51 arranged at one end of armature 47 is in contact with brushes 52 and 53 which are supported respectively in brush holders 54 and 56 which are connected to the in terior walls of drum 13. Commutator 51, brushes 52, 53, slip rings 38, 39 and brushes 34, 36 provide a path for the circulation of current from a stationary frame member 11 through the windings of counter rotating armature 47 and field coils 57.

To provide a maximum reduction with minimum gearing, the armature 47 and the field coils 57, housed in the drum 13, are permitted to rotate counter to one another at a given rpm. The required speed of the drum is comparatively slow and the difference between the drum speed and the motor speed establish at what speed the armature will rotate. A planetary reduction unit is the means used to establish the rotational relationship of each of the rotating members relative to the supporting frame members 11, 12.

A pinion gear 58 is secured for rotation with the shaft of armature 47. Pinion gear 58 has its teeth in. intermeshing engagement with the teeth of first intermediate gears 59. A sleeve 61 is concentric with and connected for rotation with drum 13. An internally toothed ring gear 62 is cut into the inner surface of sleeve 61. Intermediate gears 59 are mounted on bushings 63 for rotation on pins 64 which are secured to planetary carrier 66. Thus gears 59 mesh with pinion gear 58 and ring gear 62 and impart a rotational motion to planetary carrier 66 when armature 47 and field coils 57 rotate relative to each other. Gears 59 also impart a rotational force to the drum 13 in a direction opposite the planetary carrier 66. The rotation of carrier 66 is a result of orbital revolution of gears 59 and pins 64 about pinion gear 58. A second pinion gear 67 is made integrally with planetary carrier 66 for rotation about the axis of drum 13 as planetary carrier 66 rotates. Second intermediate gears 68 are mounted on bushings 69 for rotation about pins 71 which are seated in an extension 72 of frame member 12. Sleeve 61 is mounted on bearing 73 which is mounted on frame extension 72. Second intermediate gears 68 are in intermeshing engagement with second pinion 67 and a second ring gear 74 formed in sleeve 61. Meshing intermediate gears 68 are mounted to non-rotating extension 72 and provide the driving couples or reach between the pinion gear 67 and the ring gear 74 of sleeve 61. Thus, the rate at which drum 13 rotates is determined by the ratio between pinion gear 58 and ring gear 62; and the ratio between pinion gear 67 and ring gear 74. First ring gear 62 and second ring gear 74 may be one and the same Widefaced gear where all the gear teeth are of the same pitch. Where it is desired to use different pitches for the teeth, ring gears 62 and 74 can be cut at axially spaced positions Within sleeve 61.

Thus has been provided a 'highly efiicient geared speed reducer which employs few gears, all of which lie within the profile of the ring gear. This arrangement permits a large reduction ratio in a very 'compact design. For example, -a reduction ratio of approximately 25 to 1 can be achieved by having 83 teeth on each of ring gears 62 and 74 while having 17 teeth on pinion gear 5 8 and 25 teeth on pinion gear 67. Such an arrangement would 3 drive head at 70 rpm. while the armature was turning at 1750 r.p.m. relative to field coils 57.

Frame member extension 72 is shown as a hollow member which extends to either side of frame member 12. A rotatable extension member 76 projects axially from planetary carrier 66 and second pinion gear 67. A third pinion gear 77 can be cut on the end of rotatable extension 76, preferably having the same number of teeth as second pinion gear 67. In appropriate circumstances, second pinion gear 67 may be elongated to form both rotatable extension member 76 and third pinion gear 77. Third intermediate gears 78 are similar to second intermediate gears 68 in that they have the same number of teeth, are mounted on bushings such :as 79 which rotate on pins 81 fixed in frame extension 72.

End drum 16 is supported on and drivingly connected to a sleeve 82 which has a third internally toothed ring gear 83 similar to second ring gear 74. Sleeve 82 is mounted for rotation on frame extension 72 by bearings 84 and 86. Third pinion gear 77 is in driving engagement with third intermediate gear 78 which in turn meshes with third ring gear 83. This arrangement results in driving end drum 16 in the same direction and at the same speed as drum 13 while maintaining all reduction gears, shafting, bearings and supporting members within the profile of cutting head 10.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that other forms may be practical within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a cutting machine:

a pair of spaced frame members;

a hollow cutter drum extending between said frame members and journaled on said frame members for rotation about the central axis of said drum, the outer surface of said drum having cutting lbits extending radially outward therefrom;

a pair of axially adjacent, internally toothed ring gears disposed within said drum and connected thereto for rotation therewith;

an electric motor disposed within said drum having an outer field portion connected to said drum for rotation therewith and having an inner armature portion rotatable about the central axis of said drum;

a plurality of slip ring and brush sets secured to said drum and to one of said frame members, effective to conduct current to rotating field coils on the outer portion of said electric motor;

additional brush rigging adapted to conduct current from the outer field portion of said motor to a commutatoron the armature thereof;

a first pinion gear connected to the armature portion of said motor;

a planetary carrier having an axis of rotation coinciding with the axis of said drum;

a first intermediate gear journaled on said carrier for meshing engagement with said first pinion gear and one of said pair of ring gears, effective to rotate said carrier about its axis of rotation While said first intermediate gear is revolving around said first pinion gear;

a second pinion gear connected to said carrier for rotation about said axis of rotation; and

a second intermediate gear journaled on one of said frame members formeshing engagement with said second pinion gear and the other of said pair of ring gears.

2. In a cutting machine:

a frame member;

a pair of axially aligned cutter drums journaled on said frame member, and extending outwardly from opposite sides thereof;

an electric motor having counter rotating field and armature portions disposed within one of said cutter drums and having its field portion connected to the said one cutter drum for rotation therewith;

a planetary gear set mounted in the said one cutter drum including a ring gear connected to the said one cutter drum, a pinion gear connected to the armature portion of said motor, and a planetary gear meshing 'with both said ring and pinion gears, said planetary gear being mounted for rotation on a planet carrier;

an extension member connected to said planet carrier and projecting axially through said frame member into the other of said cutter drums;

a pair of axially spaced pinion gears on said extension member, one pinion gear disposed Within each of said drums;

a pair of reach gears journaled on said frame member, each gear meshing with a respective pinion gear on said extension member; and

a pair of ring gears, one connected to each of said drums and adapted to engage respective of said reach gears;

whereby both of said drums are rotated slowly in the same direction while the armature of said motor is rotating rapidly in the opposite direction.

3. In a cutting machine:

a main cutter drum journaled for rotation between a pair of frame members;

a pair of end drums flanking said main drum, each end drum journaled for rotation on a respective frame member;

an electric motor in said main drum having counter rotating field and armature portions, said field portion being directly connected to said main drum;

speed reduction gearing drivingly connecting said armat-ure portion to said main drum;

a first rotatable extension member extending axially through an aperture in one of said fname members drivingly connecting a portion of said speed reduction gearing with gearing disposed in one of said end drums; and

a second rotatable extension member extending axially through an aperture in the other of said frame members connecting said main drum with the other of said end drums.

4. In a cutting machine:

a frame;

a main cutter drum and a pair of end drums journalled for rotation in said frame;

drive means for rotating said main drum positioned within said main drum and having a pair of counter rotating portions, one of said portions being directly connected to said main drum,

speedreduction gearing drivingly connecting the other of said portions to said main drum;

a first rotatable extension member drivingly connecting a portion of said speed reduction gearing with gearing disposed in one of said end drums; and

a second rotatable extension connecting said main drum with the other of said end drums.

5. In a cutting machine:

a frame;

a pair of axially aligned cutter drums journalled on said frame;

rotary drive means within one of said drums having concentrically disposed inner and outer portions adapted to rotate relative to each other about a longitudinal axis;

a planetary gear set mounted in the said one of said drums;

an extension member drivingly connected to said planetary gear set and projecting into'the other of said drums;

a pair of axially spaced pinion gears on said extension member, one pinion gear disposed within each of said drums;

a pair of reach gears journaled on said frame member,

each gear meshing with a respective pinion gear on said extension member; and

a pair of ring gears, one connected to each of said drums and adapted to engage respective of said reali gears;

whereby both of said drums are rotated slowly in the same direction While said inner portion is rotating rapidly in the opposite direction.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FQREIGN PATENTS 12/ 1955 Belgium. 11/ 1963 France. 9/ 1959 Russia.

. DAVID J. WILLIAMOWS'KY, Primary Examiner.

J. R. BENEFIEL, Assistdrit Examiner. 

1. IN A CUTTING MACHINE: A PAIR OF SPACED FRAME MEMBERS; A HOLLOW CUTTER DRUM EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FRAME MEMBERS AND JOURNALED ON SAID FRAME MEMBERS FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE CENTRAL AXIS OF SAID DRUM, THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID DRUM HAVING CUTTING BITS EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARD THEREFROM; A PAIR OF AXIALLY ADJACENT, INTERNALLY TOOTHED RING GEARS DISPOSED WITHIN SIAD DRUM AND CONNECTED THERETO FOR ROTATION THEREWITH; AN ELECTRIC MOTOR DISPOSED WITHIN SAID DRUM HAVING AN OUTER FIELD PORTION CONNECTED TO SAID DRUM FOR ROTATION THEREWITH AND HAVING AN INNER ARMATURE PORTION ROTATABLE ABOUT THE CENTRAL AXIS OF SAID DRUM; A PLURALITY OF SLIP RING AND BRUSH SETS SECURED TO SAID DRUM AND TO ONE OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS, EFFECTIVE TO CONDUCT CURRENT TO ROTATING FIELD COILS ON THE OUTER PORTION OF SAID ELECTRIC MOTOR; ADDITIONAL BRUSH RIGGING ADAPTED TO CONDUCT CURRENT FROM THE OUTER FIELD PORTION OF SAID MOTOR TO A COMMUTATOR ON THE ARMATURE THEREOF; A FIRST PINION GEAR CONNECTED TO THE ARMATURE PORTION OF SAID MOTOR; A PLANETARY CARRIER HAVING AN AXIS OF ROTATION COINCIDING WITH THE AXIS OF SAID DRUM; A FIRST INTERMEDIATE GEAR JOURNALED ON SAID CARRIER FOR MESHING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST PINION GEAR AND ONE OF SAID PAIR OF RING GEARS, EFFECTIVE TO ROTATE SAID CARRIER ABOUT ITS AXIS OF ROTATION WHILE WITH SAID FIRST INTERMEDIATE GEAR IS REVOLVING AROUND SAID FIRST PINION GEAR; A SECOND PINION GEAR CONNECTED TO SAID CARRIER FOR ROTATTION ABOUT SAID A IS OF ROTATION; AND A SECOND INTERMEDIATE GEAR JOURNALED ON ONE OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS FOR MESHING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SECOND PINION GEAR AND THE OTHER OF SAID PAIR OF RING GEARS. 